Family stories, past and present

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Are we nearly there yet?!

It’s a sure sign that we’re behind schedule. Last time I wrote about almost being ready for launch, it was snowing. Today it’s 28 degrees and the kids are in the paddling pool!

This has been a real lesson. Not so much in how to develop a website (although that particular learning curve has been steep enough), but mostly in how to work patiently with software developers to get your product to market on schedule, with patience and finesse, and without physical bodily harm.

Whilst I may moan about delays, I should also point out what a great end product we have, thanks to Silver-Pride, which is why preserving working relationships (which on one occasion induced silent screaming) has been so important! I daresay they’ll be glad when we’re out of their hair too (for a while at least) – I was told a few weeks ago that I could be a tester for Microsoft (a hint at my knack for attention to detail, no doubt meant as a compliment of course)!

In a bid to induce night terrors, our partners persuaded us to be involved in a photo-shoot for the Press Release, which will be used to help launch the site. The kids were very keen to be front and centre (sadly they ended up as blurred background manekins rather than with starring roles), as were the pups; me, less so! It’s funny how suddenly, when faced with a camera lens I can’t find a darned thing which adequately camouflages my ample midriff. What the hell has happened to my body? It must surely be the camera which has put 10lbs on me, and not my ever-declining metabolism.

The collective view is that the site is likely to appeal to women first and foremost, so, since I am deemed to be a great example of a working mum who’s created her lifeline (n.b. men around here too lazy to build their own), researched the family history, and regularly capture my life in Events and pictures, why not tell my story as part of the launch? Because you’ll need me to take part in a photo-shoot, that’s why!

The shots were taken at home by a friend thankfully, so the only real irritation was his high demand for new outfit turnover (does he not realise the anxiety this causes an over 40 woman?!) and his repeated attempts to get me to put my ‘chin up’. Hindsight, of course, rather depressingly, has brought the crushing realisation that this was a polite effort to dispel my second chin and make me look as though I have only actually got one. Aaargh.

On the plus side, the puppy dogs look amazingly cute.

It’s now a nail-biting ride to the finish line for launch (or should I say starting line?)